Los Angeles
Los Angeles, Spanish for "The Angels", is officially the City of Los Angeles; but those who call it home only ever call it L.A. It is the cultural, financial, and commercial center of Southern California, and with a population of over 4,000,000 inhabitants, it is the second most populous city in the United States. Located in a large coastal basin and surrounded on three sides by mountains, Los Angeles covers 469 square miles. Los Angeles also serves as the seat of the most populated county in the country, Los Angeles County. It is in the center of what is called the Los Angeles metropolitan area, which contains nearly 13,500,000 residents. And is part of the larger designated Los Angeles-Long Beach combined statistical area (CSA), the second most populous in the nation with a population reaching towards 20,000,000. Originally home to the Chumash and Tongva, Los Angeles was claimed by Juam Rodriguez Cabrillo for Spain in 1542, along with what would later become Alta California. Los Angeles was officially founded on September 4, 1781, by the Spanish governor Felipe de Neve, and became part of Mexico in 1821, following the Mexican War of Independence. In 1848, at the end of the Mexican-American War, Los Angeles, and the rest of California, were purchased as part of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, officially making the city and state part of the United States. Los Angeles became a municiapolity on April 3, 1850, shortly before California achieved statehood. The discovery of oil in the 1890s brought accelerated growth to the city, and the completion of the Los Angeles Aqueduct in 1913, which delivered water to the city from Eastern California, ensured the continued growth. Nicknamed the "City of Angels" in part because of how its name translates from the Spanish, Los Angeles is known for its Mediterranean climate, ethnic diversity, and sprawling metropolis. The city is also one of the most substantial economic engines within the United States, with a diverse economy and a wide range of professional and cultural fields. Los Angeles is also famous as the home of Hollywood, a center of the world entertainment industry. A global city, it has been ranked 6th in the Global Cities Index and 9th in the Global Economic Power Index. The Los Angeles combines statistical area (CSA) also has a gross metropolitan product (GMP) of $850 billion, making it the third-larges in the world. Los Angeles hosted the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympics and will host the Olympic Games for a third time in 2028. Los Angeles shows you what you want to see. It is a financial giant and a failed economic experiment, a perfect place for a family and rife with gangland style shootings. To those who have never visited Los Angeles, it a place to go to relax and have a nice stroll along a a sunset-tinged beach. Those who live in L.A. know, however, that Los Angeles is more akin to a black Camaro roaring through a 35 MPH zone at 90 MPH. Nothing in Los Angeles remains the same for long: the stars of today may be nobody by tonight; haute couture becomes old hat in less time than it takes to walk out of the designer store; and businesses appear and fail seemingly overnight. Los Angeles is overcrowded, and the frenzied pace never slows down. Many have to come to Los Angeles hopeful of a brighter future and a new start, and for some those dreams have been realized, if even for a time. Others have been lost in the cracks of the city, forgotten by all but themselves. It is like no other city in the world, brimming with both hope and misery, and people from all over the world flock to its beacon. Areas of Los Angeles Downtown- Once dying and dilapidated, the area has recently seen a resurgence as old buildings are being modified for new uses and skyscrapers are replacing any ones deemed unusable. Downtown L.A. is known for its parks, theaters, and government buildings, and it operates as the central business district of Los Angeles. Composed of a variety of areas from a fashion district to skid row, it is also the hub of the city's rapid transit system. Hollywood- A densely populated and gentrified neighborhood, it is notable as the home of the U.S. film industry. Threatened with demolition in the 1980s, many of the iconic landmarks of the area are hot spots for the continuing rebirth of Hollywood, such as Columbia Square. Port of Los Angeles Pasadena- Most famously known for the Rose Bowl, Pasadena also serves as a home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including Caltec, ArtCenter College of Design, and the Ambassador Auditorium. Santa Monica- Surrounded on three sides by Los Angeles, Santa Monica has become a destination in itself, thanks to its year-around agreeable climate. Hosting the famous attractions of Santa Monica Pier and Pacific park, the city has experienced a boom for the past 30 years, and tourism does not seem to be slowing down any time soon. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) Beverly Hills- Sometimes referred to as "90210", one of its primary ZIP codes, Beverly Hills is the home to a great number of actors and celebrities. It also includes the famous Rodeo Drive shopping district and the Beverly Hills Oil Field.